Saintsbury is a premium-level winery based in the cooler
Carneros region of California's Napa valley, producing around 55
000 cases per year, the majority of which is Chardonnay and Pinot
Noir with a tiny amount of Pinot Gris. According to joint
proprietor Dick Ward, 1999 was a spectacularly good vintage in the
Carneros region, and this line-up (mostly 1999s) was pretty
stunning, all the way from the less expensive Garnet Pinot Noir to
the top. Pinot Noir is a hard grape to get right, and Saintsbury
seem to have cracked it.

Carneros Chardonnay 1999Showing a lovely toasty, fruity nose, this is a ripe, nutty
Chardonnay that manages to be concentrated and restrained at the
same time. Quite classy and not at all overdone. Very
good/excellent

'Garnet' Carneros Pinot Noir 199925% new oak is used to produce this 'entry level' Pinot Noir.
It may be the lesser of the Pinots Saintsbury produce in terms of
price, but it is a classy wine in its own right. The lovely
cherry/herby nose is attractive and savoury, with a slight
medicinal edge. There's lovely balance on the palate, with cherry
fruit and nice complexity. A real treat. Very good/excellent

Carneros Pinot Noir 199940% new oak. Rich, varietally true nose, with cherries and
herbs. The full palate shows savoury cherry fruit with good
complexity and a touch of spicy oak. In a similar style to the
Garnet, but with a bit more 'oomph', and some seamlessy integrated
oak. Very good/excellent

Carneros Pinot Noir Reserve 1998Spending longer in barrel, the reserve bottling has a spicy
nose with some sweet fruit and oak. The palate shows concentrated
savoury/sweet fruit with a medicinal edge. It's nicely balanced
and quite powerful for a Pinot, but I preferred the less ambitious
bottlings. Very good+